Collecting Pirates
by iatethedarknessflame
Summary: For the past year, Crystal and Zoro had been making a living as bounty hunters. One day, during one of Zoro's honorable (yet a little foolish) ordeals, they are approached by a peculiar young man in search of a pirate crew. (Re-imagined One Piece one-shots, ZoroXOC - rated for mild language, violence, and sexual themes)
1. I'm Going to be King of the Pirates!

Day 21: I need to feed Zoro again and continue training by myself - just like the last 20 days of this ordeal. But Zoro's a great man. I didn't even know it was possible, but I admire him even more for saving Rika and her family's lives. What a guy.

But seriously, finding ways to spend my day on my own was getting pretty boring. I helped out at the bar and relentlessly trained my sword skills like I've seen him do all the time. When things were really slow, I'd sneak into the Marine's base and drop spiders in Helmeppo's wardrobe. It was nice having a roof over my head every night, but I was so ready to split and go after another bounty. Not to mention the nights were lonely without Zoro.

I was just heading out with a sandwich for the stubborn, but spirited, fool when I saw Rika talking to two boys. The girl was all scuffed up but otherwise fine. She was recalling the series of events which led to Zoro's trial two her audience. It sounded like she had been so nice as to take on the responsibility of sneaking him food so I just followed them back into the bar.

We caught Helmeppo at the end of one of his snooty tirades. "...I guess I could execute Zoro."

My mind raced as I weighed the possibility of slaying the prick where he stood or letting things play out as Zoro had initially instructed. For 20 days I've had to sit by while he dished out earfuls of degrading speeches. Not that Zoro cared or anyone really listened, but he had been stomping all over his (our) reputation as if Zoro was some kind of beast from Hell. But this time, he was _playing_ with Zoro's life. That was something that I could not stand by and watch.

But in the time it took me to weigh my options, someone else took action. One of the boys talking to Rinka rushed the man and gave him one powerful right hook. Purple wine splashed across the wooden floor as Helmeppo's face met the stone wall behind him. The two shouted threats at one another while the other boy held back the one with the straw hat. Helmeppo predictably threatened to unleash the terror of his Marine father but the words were just empty sounds to the enraged boy. I pulled down the bandanna used to keep back my blue hair to my forehead. If a nasty fight broke out with the Marines, I'd be ready to step in.

"I've made up my mind. Today, Zoro joins my crew," he proclaimed.

...

Um what.

I was so stunned by his bold announcement that I missed the scumbag slipping away. Whatever, not important right now.

I pulled up a chair at the table where the two boys had settled. The rest of the bar had cleared out to avoid the scene and they were the only two customers left.

"Excuse me, hi. May I ask, what business do you have with Roronoa Zoro?"

The bold one with the straw hat answered simply, "I decided he's going to join my pirate crew."

Except, we weren't pirates - we hunted them. And that definitely doesn't sound like something Zoro would agree to.

The boy next to him made some sort of shrieking noise so I turned my attention towards him.

"What's that scar on your fa- That blindfold! There's no mistaking it, she must be the blind assassin if she knows Zoro. I heard that the bounty hunter's partner was only a myth. They say he lurks in the shadows and strikes when you least expect it. Only can claim few have seen him but they all agree that he fights blindfolded and is even scarier than Roronoa Zoro himself. I've even heard that he has mystical powers and has collected twice as many bounties as Zoro has!"

"Are you trembling?" I spat at the pink-haired boy, narrowing my grey eyes at him.

I probably came off more intimidating than was necessary but these people had me all confused and I don't appreciate people pointing out the blue scar branded across my face.

"I'm not a _him_ , okay? And you're being rude pointing out blemishes on other people's face. I'm just wearing this bandanna because it pretty much covers the whole thing. Look, I'm not blind and I don't have mystical powers (idiots). But yes, I am with Zoro."

"Good, you can join my crew too," the other boy proclaimed much more calmly.

"Who are you." I mean, besides a weirdo.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy. And I'm going to become King of the Pirates."

Pirates. He wanted us to become swashbuckling scoundrels of the sea; thieves were another name for them. King of the Pirates. We would set sail in search of the legendary One Piece.

"Okay. We'll join your crew. I'm Crystal, nice to meet you, Luffy. Oh, and don't believe everything that you hear. I'm not even half as strong as Zoro." We shook and made it official.

He didn't seem like such a bad guy. I admired the way he didn't think twice about defending Zoro no matter who he faced. Unlike my indecision.

"However," I warned, "Zoro won't be so easy to convince. You should probably go find his swords or something and hold them as ransom - just be really careful with them. They're in Helmeppo's room."

"Great! Let's go tell Zoro," he cheered.

And we were off to the Marine base to talk to Zoro. More like inform Zoro - it was two against one so he didn't really have a choice. On the way, Coby told me about his dream to become a Marine and I wished him the best of luck. Because that scrawny kid would need it. But hey, I wasn't much buffer than he was and I was going to be the (second) greatest swordsman in the world. I didn't have the type of ambition Zoro had to aim for the top so second suited me just fine. I also learned that the "crew" consisted of Luffy and a dinky little ship. And now Zoro and me.

But he promised me that we would go on adventures with the friends we gathered for our crew. He mentioned things like giant goldfish, islands made of ice cream, bronze statues and giants. Luffy got my imagination running wild with romantics and I caught the hype of being a pirate. What a surprise, I didn't imagine become a pirate when I woke up this morning.

"Wha- what the hell is this guy?"

Yet another surprise today, Luffy's arms could stretch like rubber.

"That would be our new captain. And it seems that he has devil fruit powers too."

I fed Zoro the sandwiches I had prepared earlier and wiped the dirt and sweat from his face. There were some bluish bruises around his cheeks where Helmeppo had abused him. It was nothing the great swordsman couldn't handle but it still made me writhe with anger.

"Are we really joining up with that fool?" he sighed.

Luffy had entered the base in hopes of retrieving Zoro's swords leaving just us two in the yard.

"You bet! We're going to become pirates. I get the feeling that he's going to bring your sentence to an end today. Ever since he got here, like earlier today, things have been heating up. You should probably prepare yourself for a fight."

"Noted. You know, if we become pirates, it's going to be difficult to stay out of trouble. You're probably going to just end up being the ship's chore boy," he laughed in light mockery.

"Hey! I'm a lot stronger, you know. I can fight too; I'll slice down anyone who stands between us and the treasure!"

Because that's what pirates do, right? We look for treasure?

"Do you really want to slice people down?" he asked, raising a knowing eyebrow.

"... not really," I admitted. I wanted to prove to him how strong I've become since he started training me about two years ago. But I only liked to use my weapon to protect, not to unnecessarily harm.

"A pirate ship is no place for a pacifist," he warned. What a paradox.

It was a sweltering hot day and he was tied up under the direct sunlight. I brought him water as often as I could but he was still baking out there in the sun and losing so much of it to sweat. Every time I'd wipe it away, beads of perspiration would reappear in an instant. The hunger wouldn't kill him and neither would Helmeppo's swipes. I just feared what the heat would zap all of his strength.

"He's going to pay for his," I muttered burying my face in Zoro's sweat-soaked shirt. "I will make him pay for every day he's hung you out here."

If his limbs weren't tied down, I know he'd probably wrap his arms around me. At least, that's what I imagined him doing. But he craned his neck just enough to nuzzle my hair.

"I'm sure you will," he smirked, effectively giving me permission to enact his revenge.

I looked up at him, sliding my nose from his jaw line up to his cheekbone. The sweet smell of his sweat tickled my nose and reminded me of all the time we would spend sparring together. The more sweat I could draw from him, the more accomplished I felt. But right now, I just wish it would stop. We weren't doing physical labor, we weren't out training . It was a sign of the cursed heat, not a badge of hard work.

I lightly kissed his cheek and gazed into his strong eyes. The fire that was lit on the first day of the trial was still there. It had not withered away or died in the heat. That was his spirit and it would never back down.

He met my gaze without fear and sheltered me from the sun with his shadow. There was that magnetic draw to his lips. I wanted more than anything to press against him and taste his sweet lips. We craved intimacy that the public sentence denied us. I had never been caught sneaking into the yard or even around the base. But still, we couldn't afford to get lost in the moment and let our guard down. As far as we knew, the marines still weren't sure if I even existed. And besides, the pining made his release all the more sweet.

Our moment was interrupted by an inconceivable amount of stone falling from the top of the base. It crashed in the yard and was reduced to a pile of ruble. If the rock had been of any importance, surely now it was indiscernible. Moments after the fall, a great caterwauling rose from the place where the thing had fallen.

"Better get going. Looks like you were right, I guess we are going to see a little action today," Zoro warned me.

I made a break for it to camp out just on the other side of the stone wall that closed off the yard. I passed Coby running the opposite way, right into the commotion. He was immediately spotted (of course) and within minutes, they were surrounded by marines. Even the feared captain, Ax-hand Morgan, made an appearance. Things sure were heating up fast.

I skirted around the edge of the yard to make a play from behind. I couldn't see over the wall but my sensitive ears picked up their banter and yelling. That was all I needed to pinpoint their location and get in position to strike. Without warning, I heard the deadly signal.

"Take aim, FIRE!"

I wasn't in the position I wanted but it didn't matter; I was too late anyways. Zoro is so strong but he's still human and I've seen how bullets rip lives away. The marines don't even realize it, but if those bullets pierce through his heart, then they've got mine too. It's a two for the price of one deal.

I hopped to the top of the wall in time to see Luffy land right in the line of fire. The bullets caught his rubbery skin and stretched it to its limit. I had to hide behind the wall to avoid the spray when they bounced back. So guns can't hurt a rubber man. Lucky.

"You wanna just tell me who the hell you are?" Zoro shouted after the strange display of power.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy," he laughed, "and I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

"You're going to be king of the pirates? Right, you must be out of your rubbery mind. Do you have any idea what that means?"

My goodness, Zoro could be so cynical sometimes.

"King of the Pirates means King of the Pirates. How could it mean anything else?" he answered simply. Very simply.

I took advantage of the ensuing confusion to get closer to Zoro. A bunch of marines backed by Ax Hand Morgan? His skills would definitely come in handy which means he'd need to be freed from crucifixion.

"So you're finally going to join my crew! This is the best thing ever!" Luffy shouted.

Finally, we were going to become pirates! I knew Zoro would come around (or be coerced into it).

"Would you quit celebrating already and get these ropes off me?!"

That was my cue. In the dialogue between Zoro and Luffy, no one, not even the Marines, seemed to notice me running across the yard. Just as they were getting their wits together, I unsheathed my wide blade and sliced the restraining ropes. It would have taken too long to try to untie them and several Marines were advancing with weapons in hand. Nothing Zoro couldn't handle by himself.

"Hey that's funny, they just fell off," Luffy wondered just standing there.

"Just give me my damn swords now!" Zoro commanded.

The marines were essentially on top of Coby and Luffy was still baffled by the ropes. Zoro took the initiative to equip himself if our captain was just going to stand around. His three swords covered a long range and they stopped each and every Marine as they barred down on us.

"Make one move and you die," he threatened through gritted teeth. "Today I officially become a criminal, having fought the marines. So I'll become a pirate. But I want you to know one thing: while I'm with you, I dedicate myself to is fulfilling _my_ ambition. To be nothing less than the world's greatest swordsman. If somewhere along the way I have to give that up, then I want you to accept the responsibility." His eyes narrowed in all seriousness. "After which, you get to apologize to me."

I remember when he gave me the same speech as we left Shimotsuki Village. First he told me that _we_ were leaving (didn't ask if I wanted to come), then put conditions on my joining him. I could only come if I didn't interfere with his ambition. Psh, it's not like he could tell meaty game from slight prey, a poisonous herb from a healing herb, or even left from right. He'd be lost without me.

"The world's greatest swordsman, sounds pretty good. The King of the Pirates wouldn't have any less than the best on his crew." Luffy agreed.

"Big talker. From this point on, no matter if I'm a criminal or not, I will spread the name Zoro throughout the world!"

Not going to lie, his ambitious speech melted my heart a bit.

What a guy. And same can be said for Luffy, the man who ate the Gom Gom Fruit. (I mean, he didn't make me swoon like Zoro does). He went straight from Captain Morgan who had enough power to split fissures in the ground. It didn't seem to matter though, Luffy was able to dodge every one of this attacks and even bring the Marine to the ground.

"Straw Hat! Stop right there!" Helmeppo wailed. "Look what I got!"

Luffy wasn't listening. But I was.

"Are you stupid or something? I said stop!"

The prick was holding a gun up to Coby's head but I doubt he even knew how to use it. He blinked and there I was, standing in front of him, hell-bent on revenge.

I wish that I didn't have to wear the blindfold. I wish that he could stare into my cold, grey eyes and know how dead serious I was about returning all of the shit he gave Zoro over the past 21 days. Hell, I'd even return in ten-fold. I would unleash 210 days of torture on him because that's exactly what he deserved. 210 days of heat, starvation, abuse, and loneliness.

My blade doesn't fail me because I command it. One clean sweep and I tore the flesh from his waist up to his shoulder. I could smell the blood seeping from the wound and it made me nauseous. I didn't think I could handle any more of that. The cut wasn't deep - hardly enough to leave a scar - but at least his prissy purple suit was in shambles. Ass hole.

He fell to the ground and I lunged at him. I let loose a barrage of punches to his squirrly face just as Luffy had done to his father. Two hits for every one he gave to defenseless Zoro. Not that I expected shit from this man or this family, but there was no honor in taunting a man tied up and helpless. There was nothing redeeming about executing a man you promised to set free. He was among the scum of the earth; he would never understand honor. Unless maybe I could beat it into him.

"Crystal, that's enough," Zoro barked.

He grabbed the back of my t-shirt and lifted me off of the bruised and bloodied mess.

"The battle's over so you can stop now, you little monster," he teased.

It wasn't funny. I lifted the blindfold to see the wreckage left behind in the wake of my disastrous rage. Helmeppo was unrecognizable beneath the mounds of swollen, black flesh and smeared blood. His nose was pointed at an unnatural angle and his eyes could barely open more than a slit. He just lay there, unable to move. He looked dead because of what I did.

My hand flew to my mouth in horror to cover a gasp. I inhaled the salty taste of blood and looked at my hands. They were covered in the havoc of my assault. Helmeppo's blood mixed with dirt covered my pinkish flesh, sore from the relentless force of my punches. It - no I - was disgusting,

"Just wipe it off on my shirt - ugh or puke on my shoes, whatever. It's okay, they were covered in filth anyways..."

The heat, the starvation, the battle with the Marines - they were taking a toll on him and he collapsed to the ground right after I hurled.

"Zoro! Are you okay?" Coby wailed.

Obviously not, he just fell over...

"Just.. hungry," he panted.

There were more important things than facing my monstrosity so I just shoved the thought in the closet. Coby helped me drag Zoro back to the bar for a proper meal while Luffy ran on ahead.

"I can't believe you're finished, lightweight," Luffy criticized after Zoro polished off 5 heaping helpings food.

"How can you have a bigger appetite than a guy who hasn't eaten in weeks?"

Then there was me who ate a dainty one and a half plates of food. I offered the rest to Zoro, but he was too full so he handed it off to Luffy. He emptied the remaining food in one giant gulp.

"So, how many others have you gathered for your crew besides us?"

It was an inevitable exchange and Zoro responded with just as much dismay as I had expected.

"I think I need a shower," Zoro yawned. A lot of food made him groggy and he usually took a nap after a meal.

"I think you need a lot more than that, Zoro. You've been sitting in your own filth for 21 days and you smell so bad that everyone left the bar!"

Rather, they were observing the town heroes by peering through the windows - a safe distance from the dangerous and smelly pirates.

"Fine then come make sure I get all of it off."

I led him to the basement where Rika's family was letting me stay. It was a quaint little guest room with a bed and private bath. I had put the room back together in preparation for Zoro's release and our subsequent departure. The summery blue sheets were cleaned and the twin bed was made with the decorative quilt neatly covering the surface. There was a fresh set of clothes waiting for Zoro so I could _immediately_ discard the soiled ones.

"Don't you dare throw those away," he warned as he saw me gingerly scooping them into a bag. Whatever, sentimental weirdo.

It was only seconds after the water started running I heard him mutter something like "Huh, this is going to be harder than I thought" followed by "Crystal, I need your help!"

Upwards of an hour later, he was finally cleaned off. That's how long it took both of us to gingerly scrub his sunburnt skin until all the filth and grime had been washed away. Not to mention, I wouldn't let him get out until he smelled descent.

When we had finished, the floor was soaking wet and so were my clothes. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't just take them off; I was half in the shower with him anyways. Towards the end, the drain began to clog and the water pooling around our ankles splashed out of the rim of the slowly receding water left behind a trail of black dirt. At least it was in the tub and not on his body any more.

We left the bathroom in a wretched state but I guess that's just the way of pirates. Rather than clean it up myself, I'd just leave them a little money as my "cleaning fee". I mean, it wasn't very pirate-esque but neither was I. Not yet anyways.

"So, how do I look?" Zoro stood in the middle of the room in his white, fluffy towel and with his hands on his hips.

His face and arms were shades darker than they had been before he was baking out in the sun. The dark skin stood out considerably from his sun-bleached green hair. Some of his muscle mass seemed to have melted away - I could expect him on the weights 24/7 until he had made it up twice over now. He wore a weary look on his face but that wasn't anything a good nap couldn't wash away.

"Like a new man," I laughed. Nothing about his bright, shining smile had changed. "I bet you feel a lot better after being rubbed raw like that."

His smiled darkened and it reminded me of that wicked grin he wore when his swords were unsheathed.

"You're clothes are soaking wet," he hummed in a dangerously sweet voice. "You better take them off."

His movements were quick and sudden. My shirt was pulled over my head and he had spun me around. I somehow ended up falling back onto the bed and the creaking springs caught me with a groan. He picked up my legs and dragged them over the quilt so I was lying across the bed. The sly swordsman jumped on top of me, pinning me beneath him. The springs creaked again as then rocked us under his weight.

"You know, there's something something else I've been starved of," he purred in my ear.

My willpower was crumbling fast as he kissed and nibbled at my neck. His natural scent could finally break through the layers of filth and I had forgotten how powerfully it overwhelms my senses. It was intoxicating at such close proximity. I breathed him in. All I could see was tanned skin stretched tight over trained muscles. His hands ran all over my body, exciting places that hadn't gotten any attention in weeks. He had me ensnared in his lusty hold.

"Won't the others be waiting for us," I managed to gasp through his touch.

"Crys, it's been _three weeks_. This won't take long."

So much for the clean sheets.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! Thank you for reading the first chapter. If you have the time and heart, please leave a review. It helps me know if the story is going well, where to improve, how to make it interesting, etc. Thank you in advanced! Hopefully I will be getting more chapters posted in the near future. No promises though as to when (so give it a follow to know when they're posted?). This story will be sporadically updated because it takes longer to write. I have to go back and watch the episode/read the manga and pull quotes and scenes directly from One Piece and it takes a while. Thanks all~**

 **In my profile, you can check out a longer description of the story as well as my (so far just two) other ZoroxCrystal stories!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece**

 **(as much as I'd love to own Roronoa Zoro)**


	2. Devil Fruits

"Wow, Zoro, you're so strong~"

I couldn't help but admire him as our rowboat flew through the ocean at inconceivable speeds. Stray drops of salty sea water splashed over the edge of the boat and splattered against my face like little liquid bullets. The wind whipped my hair back so it wasn't sticking to my wet cheeks for once. It was as if all the forces of the currents and the wind had come together to propel us along. But in reality, our power came from nothing more than the swordsman.

I watched his biceps explode with every pull of the water. His body would lurch forward and rock back with a strong, controlled exhale. With a tight core, he swung effortlessly from his hips where he otherwise sat rigidly on the wooden seat. Sweat began to soak through his white shirt where it was pulled _extra_ tight over his bursting shoulder muscles. It dampened his mossy green hair to deeper shade of green and dropped down his face. I watched the perspiration carve trails from his temple, across his cheekbones, and over his parted lips. I imagined my tongue tracing the same path while being presses against his sweaty body...

Sure, he was frantically chasing our pilfered pirate captain under unusual circumstances. But he looked so _sexy_ doing it.

"Why are you breathing so heavily? It's not like you're doing any of the work!" he accused.

Typical, all humor of the situation was lost to the blunt swordsman.

"It's not like I could keep up with you," I reminded him, brushing a drop of water from my chin. "We'd just be going in circles if I tried to do anything. Besides, I'm busy keeping an eye on our captain."

I lounged over the side of the boat being careful not to tip the balance. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the breeze was absolutely wonderful. I scanned the great ocean, seeing nothing but sparkling water and the massive bird flying off with Luffy on the horizon. What a great day to be a pirate out at sea.

My ears picked up a strange sound before any unusual sight reached my eyes. I closed them, feeling out with my stronger senses to get a good read on what oddities disturbed the ocean's surface.

Three human bodies lay before us. The circular motion of their treading arms made irregular waves lap at the front of our boat. The kicking of their legs created tiny currents that gently pushed and pulled beneath the surface of the water. I felt all of these aberrations clashing with the natural flow of the elements. And of course, as we got closer, their voices turned into recognizable human speech.

"Man overboard! Hey! Man overboard!"

"Heads up, there's some men floating in the ocean dead ahead."

We were coming in hot and they were just sitting ducks out there.

"I can't believe we're finding ship wreckers at a time like this," Zoro growled over his shoulder. "I can't stop, you're just going to have to jump right in."

Their faces when they realized he was kidding; the way they frantically dove out of our way; the miracle that all three of them managed to grab hold; watching them clamor on board - it was too much for me.

I was on the floor rendered useless by a fit of laughter. What a bunch of idiots! I mean seriously, who just floats around the ocean without even a boat?

"Were you trying to kill us?" they shouted simultaneously. Haha, losers.

"Stop the boat now," one of the men commanded with a sly smile. "The three of us are members of the Buggy the Clown's Pirate Crew. This boat is ours now."

"Huh?"

I would have to say that the number one thing about Zoro's personality is that he does _not_ take shit from anyone. It doesn't even matter if they were pointing a sword right in his face like these punks were. In fact, it probably just pissed him off even more.

Three swords and a few blunt blows later, we were all on the same page.

"I'm sorry, we had no idea you were the famous pirate hunter, Zoro," they nervously chuckled through swollen lips and puffy cheeks. "Please forgive us!"

He had put them to work moving our boat so we could keep an eye out for Luffy.

"Thanks to you three idiots, I lost sight of my friend," he warned in a menacing (but sexy) voice. "So just keep paddling."

"Yes sir!" they chimed.

"Knowing Luffy, he'll probably pull of something once he spots land. Hey, pay attention. Which way did he go?"

He roughly nudged me in the side with his toe and the tickling only made me laugh more. I almost rolled into the three creeps we picked up which straightened me out right away.

"I can't find him anymore but the bird headed that way," I pointed, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. What an eventful day! "You know, I like it when you take control."

"So who is this Buggy guy?"

Wow, the jerk completely ignored my flirting! But I guess I could forgive him because he looks so picturesque sitting back and relaxing while making other people do the work.

"What! You've never heard of Buggy the Clown?"

"Nope."

"He's the ruthless captain of our pirate ship and he's eaten one of the devil fruits! Above everything else, he's one truly terrifying man."

"Is that his Jolly Roger?" I asked. One of the pirates was sporting a skull, crossbones, and big red nose.

"Sure is!"

"Mmmm doesn't look very intimidating."

"What do you know! Captain Buggy is a ruthless leader!"

"Yeah, he's feared by all!"

It was cute how worked up they got.

"Did I tell you to stop paddling?"

A stern look from Zoro and the pirates were back at it with double the speed. I felt his arm sneak behind me and suddenly I was being dragged down into his lap. He leaned over me, his face blocking out the expanse of the great blue sky.

"I'll tell you what, when we get to land, I'll look for Luffy and you can go get supplies. We need food, beer, and anything else you can think of. And don't forget the beer." His voice dropped to a low whisper. "If you do a good job, I can take control of you later~"

I squealed a bit as his arms tightened around me in a promising squeeze.

"Yeah sure," I breathed. Wow, later couldn't come soon enough.

I spent the rest of the boat ride in a daze of impure thoughts and steamy fantasies. I didn't even realize when we docked at an island and Zoro had to carry me out of the boat. A massive explosion rocked me back to reality.

"That was one heck of an explosion," Zoro mused.

"It looked like it was one of the captain's Buggy Balls."

"Buggy Balls? Well at any rate, keep out of trouble," he warned.

He set me down and ran his fingers through my hair before I hid it with a dark hood.

"Wait a second," he demanded, holding my cloak so I couldn't escape.

"Hmm?"

He didn't say anything but inspected my face closely. Was there food in my teeth? Could he see the bruise from where I tripped and hit my head earlier? What the hell did he want?

"X marks the spot," he grinned and planted a kiss on the bridge of my nose – right where the two blue scars crossed my face.

"You're too cute. See ya later!" I called as I headed toward the explosion. It wouldn't hurt to just check it out, right?

Luffy's adventure plus Zoro's sense of direction gave me at least a few hours (if not the whole day) before I'd need to head back. That was plenty of time to go out on my own adventure and please Zoro with the gift of booze. As luck would have it, a strong scent of roasting meat and alcohol was wafting from the source of the explosion.

As the smell got stronger, I could hear a loud raucous of people chanting "fire, fire, fire". I had to assume they meant fire another one of those devastating cannon balls. This was probably the kind of trouble Zoro had warned me to avoid.

Oh crap! What if they fire it in my direction?!

I started for the nearest building but remembered the destruction I had passed on my way over there. It had leveled all houses in its path. What would Zoro do at a time like this?

I tied my bandana over my eyes and steadied my breathing. There I stood in the middle of the street, sword drawn, waiting to see if the enemy would rear its ugly head to challenge me.

...

 _Screw this!_ I thought and sprinted in the opposite direction. If we were going to have sex later, I couldn't afford to die here.

So I ran. And I kept running. I didn't plan to quit until a stabbing pain in my side knocked me off my feet. All I could do was lay there in the middle of the street gasping for air and clutching my side. I should have stood up and kept running. Pain isn't an excuse to quit. I was glad no one was around to witness my moment of weakness and take pity on me.

But, if no one was around, then who could have shot me? Not a single soul populated the streets nor could I find anyone milling about their homes. I gingerly removed my hand to my side only to find the skin unscathed. So was it just a running cramp? Was I really that lame?

Feeling severely disappointed with myself, I stood up, sheathed my sword, and replaced my blindfold as a headband. I didn't deserve to call myself a swordsman or a fighter. With my head hung low, I dragged my feet through the barren road.

I wandered until a terrible grinding noise caught my attention. It echoed off the hollow walls of the empty street and filled my ears. It sounded like a heavy concrete scraping against the stone pavement. And, in the same direction, my heart was pulling me to my swordsman. (Yeah, it's cheesy and embarrassing but it's not like I can control my instincts).

I eventually found him settling into bed of one of the abandoned buildings.

"Hey you," he smiled with tired eyes.

I had smelled the blood before I had even gotten to the house but I was praying that it wasn't his. Of course he had to go getting into trouble without me.

"Zoro," I murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What the hell happened to you?"

But he wasn't satisfied with my position and pulled me into bed with him. His strong arms trapped me under the hot blankets but I wasn't about to leave.

"I dropped my guard and made a mistake. Don't worry about it."

He smiled and buried his nose in my hair like it was just another night of cuddling together. Unlike him, I couldn't relax with the thick smell of blood spurting from his wound.

Tears are synonymous with weakness. But I wasn't strong enough to protect what mattered most to me so tears suited me just fine. They fell uncontrollably from my eyes and soaked the pillowcase under my head.

I could have been there for him but I made the choice to run away. I should have had his back, just as he has mine in every situation we've faced. Because that's what it means to be partners; it's a two way street.

"You're doing everything right." He kissed the back of my neck and wiped away my tears because he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"But it's not fair," I sobbed. "I want to fight."

"Don't be stupid. Leave that part to me," he smirked.

I rolled over so I could face him. His eyes were already closed and there was a content smile on his face. I don't know what he had been through in the short time we were apart but it was clear that it had taken a toll on him. He needed a good recharge to be ready for whatever this weird village had in store for us. But if he wasn't, I would make sure I was next time.

"Go to sleep, my sweet," I purred.

He looked so innocent when he slept - like he hadn't been hardened by driving ambition yet. The cliché was written all over his relaxed muscles. He was just, just Roronoa Zoro. My sweet, mossy headed Zoro.

I leaned in close to his face until I could feel his hot breath tickle my cheek. Being physically close with him was something that I had the privilege of doing and I was _not_ going to miss an intimate moment with just the two of us. A sudden twitch from the arm beneath me stopped me in my tracks. His movements were lightning quick as he weaved his fingers through my hair and pushed my lips into his. He had caught me off-guard looking all asleep and everything and I let out a surprised squeal.

He rolled on his back with a satisfied smile and passed out. Dreams of getting stronger and sparks of ambition kept me awake a little longer but eventually I must have fallen asleep too.

I hadn't realized it until I woke up a little later to a high pitched whistling sound in the distance. The air pressure rapidly increased which was severely confusing. It all condensed around my head, pushing out the last wisps of dreams lingering in my consciousness.

Instinct raced the cannon and my muscles took action before it reached us. The noise was the loudest when the buggy ball impacted the house before ours. It pushed past the first wall with ease, making a clean, round hole through the white concrete. Next, it tore through the foundation, splintering the wooden arms holding up the roof. Gravity crushed the broken walls beneath its heavy hand and the building came crumbling down after the cannon. Lastly, it broke the final wall with its sights set on us.

Zoro had left for the dream world with the intent of returning stronger and renewed. In his place in the waking world, it was my job to watch over him as he slept. As he slept through the cannon fire and ensuing collapse of the building in which we took shelter from shit like this.

"Zoro was sleeping in there!" Luffy exclaimed.

It sounded like he was right outside when the explosion hit. But I had other things to worry about than our unscathed captain.

So I train under Zoro and follow in his footsteps down the path of kenjutsu. But contrary to popular belief, that doesn't mean that I'm crazy and I go around bench pressing boulders like he is often found doing. I am very human and limited by a human maximum, unlike that idiot.

That is why, when I found myself supporting a slab of concrete on all fours, I thought my muscles would be ripped apart from the strain. The swirling cloud of dust filled my heaving lungs and chocked off the desperately needed air. Starved of oxygen, one of my elbow joints buckled under the weight putting all of the pressure on my muscles.

"That's one hell of a way to wake a guy up," he muttered from under my protective shield.

I felt the weight being literally lifted off of my shoulders as Zoro kicked the roof to the side. Once I could feel the sunlight filtering through the settling dust, I completely collapsed in his lap.

"Eh I could've used a few more z's. How are you holding up?" he asked me with a yawn.

"I ... can't move my arms or legs," I replied honestly. "I feel like a rag doll."

"Alright, you're alive! And hey look, it's Crystal!" Luffy exclaimed as if we should be dead or something.

Our captain was joined by an orange hair girl and a feisty old man shouting about the town being destroyed. The old guy was all fired up and suited with some wooden barrels which I assumed had to be some makeshift armor. He held the pride of a lion in his heart and ran off to fight the Captain Buggy we'd been hearing so much about.

Zoro carried my useless body from the rubble and handed it to the orange hair girl.

"Keep her out of trouble," he ordered.

"You're gonna go too?" she cried. "But you're wounded!"

"Yeah, so what?" he challenged. "The injury to my reputation's a lot worse than the injury to my gut."

"Wait, Zoro! Take me with you!" I yelled after his retreating figure.

Stupid human body. Fine, I'll start squatting boulders!

"Screw you!" I screamed at him.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" The girl asked as I squirmed out of her grasp.

My limbs were starting to feel tingly so that was going to have to do. One step in and I hit the ground hard but at least I was able to catch myself with my arms. I could feel the life return to my limbs and I just had to make it go faster.

I dragged myself over to the pile of rubble and fished out my cape, sword, and the bag of food I worked so hard to acquire. A step forward, another one - right, then left. I was off running before I could even walked.

The girl followed right behind me and we arrived on scene to challenge Buggy's crew against our own. It was different standing beside my friends to tackle the challenge head on. If it was just Zoro and I, he'd just shove me in a back alley to help out assassin style _if needed_. And of course with Zoro, it never was. If not a little unnerving being out in the open, it felt right to take a stand here.

"Gom gom balloon!"

The devastating cannon turned on its creator, leveling the building where they had made base in this town. In the mess of crewmen and rubble, few were left standing besides the captain himself. One such man was cabbage head, a sword-wielding unicyclist. Oh, did they call Cabaji?

I saw the dangerous glint in Zoro's eyes and that maniacal smile. It basically told me I wasn't even allowed to consider this swordsman my opponent. (Not that Zoro would ever let me call anyone my opponent besides him in mock sparring.)

Cabbage head was savage, kicking Zoro relentlessly in his stab wound. I felt queasy and weak in the knees watching him writhe in pain on the dusty ground. But I couldn't tear my eyes away from his conviction and flawless skills. It was mesmerizing and hypnotic the way he commanded all three blades in harmony. They were of three different eras, three different creators, three different paths, but under him, they were one. He had endured much worse before. Hell, he had subjected _me_ to (emotional) training worse than that when we first started. We had this one in the bag.

But still, I hated all of the cheap tricks and taunting he threw out. Fire breathing, dust, and all this kicking crap was just veil for his weak sword skills. Honestly, he wasn't worth Zoro's time and I'd gladly step in to take out the trash. Unfortunately, the duel had started and there was no stopping them.

"To keep fighting with such a bad injury, he's crazy. He's hurt so bad, I don't know how he's managing to stay in the fight!"

I had to agree with the lady, he had done some pretty crazy things to prove his strength. But that was practically the summation of his existence; it was something he put all of his heart into. And it was a part of him that I accepted and loved every time I said "I love you."

"Why are you just standing there watching him? He's going to get himself killed, you know! You have a sword, so go out there and fight him."

I found it borderline rude that the annoying lady didn't have more faith in him. But what did she know. It was rude, however, that she thought she could boss me around.

"I can't; this is his fight," I replied, unimpressed with her over concern.

As he always would, Zoro stood back up again. He taught me to always rise, no matter how many times you get knocked down. And I was glad to see him leading by example.

"You annoying little bastard," he grumbled. "You having fun poking at my wound? Then go ahead!"

And so Cabaji did.

"Unnecessary!" I screamed, clutching my side where I had the cramp earlier. I guess I was getting too excited.

Everyone had already deemed him tough as nails. He didn't have to go getting voluntarily re-stabbed. But he was smiling, so whatever makes the moron happy is what I have to work with.

"There, is that enough of a handicap for you?" There was that maniacal grin again. "And now let me show you just how superior my skills are to yours."

Finally time to get serious. Honestly, if I had spent as much time screwing around as he just did, he'd probably just swoop in and fight my battles for me.

"If I lose to someone like you, even with these minimal injuries, I won't have a very bright future, now will I?"

Zoro's resolve seemed to be really pissing off Cabaji so he threw a hundred spinning tops onto the battle field. Even I could handle that. But it was confusing because I thought he was supposed to be a swordsman, so why wasn't he using his sword? He rode his unicycle up a wall and launched into the air.

Yet another surprise, something small came creeping up on Zoro but Luffy stomped it out. It was their captain's hand, hoping to play a role in this duel. What sort of lowlife garbage would try to interfere with a one-on-one match? I was seething with anger and my hand found the hilt of my sword.

At least Zoro didn't seem to notice the commotion.

"Alright men, let's follow Captain Buggy and help out Cabaji!"

How dare they-

"LUFFY!" I screamed, my thoughts nearly lost to panic.

The man leading the charge thrust his filthy blade into my captain's turned back. He was just inches from severing his spine in half but that's as far as he'd get.

Why do I fight? It's a question that rages a war in my mind worse than any battle I've fought (not many). It's just a lifestyle I've adopted since finding Zoro. I started by toning my muscles and learning the basic skills. I held a bokken, trained with a katana, then finally wielded my black blade. My sword has tasted bloody victories but mine has been spilled more. I've stumbled to the edge of my life and fought my way back. But _why_ do I do it? Why do I blindly follow the path that Zoro forges for himself without creating my own? The sight of blood made my stomach turn and the thought of inflicting pain was even worse. I was a lover, not a fighter.

Because of these moments. Because of these moments when we're staring in the face of adversity; when everything crumbles but our will to survive. I can stand beside them, Zoro and now Luffy, for the freedom we believe in. I fight because... because protecting my nakama is the only thing that matters!

As long as I was still standing, I would never let the blade reach its rubbery target.

The icy chill of my gaze translated directly to the icy chill that took hold of his soul. From the moment he heard my desperate cry and we locked eyes, his fate became sealed in stone. Literally. Stone instantly began to crawl over his skin until it had consumed every part of his body and soul. The man who intended harm to my captain was no more than a stone statue.

The number of my victims had now been stretched beyond the count of a single hand. Their faces still haunted my memories and their screams echoed in the hollows of my ears. This Buggy Pirate, I heard someone call him Hiro; Mr. Tonagari on night patrol; Mr. Minamino and Mr. Kei - both fathers of my classmates; and the first to fall from my devil - my own parents.

My will to fight was drained as my devil fruit power transferred out of my body and onto my victim. I was nothing, if not weak, if I had to rely on plan B to make it out on top. I was fast - probably faster than anyone else on the battle field - so could I have made it there in time? Did I let fear and panic get to the better of me? I collapsed to my knees in the middle of the warzone. Tears fell from my eyes and mingled with the dusty road.

"D-devil fruit powers? Another one of them has devil fruit powers!"

All attention turned to me but I had neither the energy nor will to care. I heard my captain's footsteps slowly approaching me. Each sandaled footfall matched one of my pounding heartbeats.

"Crystal, did you do this?" he asked in a low voice.

Crystal, are you the monster?

I nodded with nothing but a muffled cry coming from my lips. When he didn't respond, I stole a glance at his looming figure. Was this the end of my short-lived pirate adventure?

"Well thank you," he smiled. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Devils have no place in the conflicts of men," I muttered.

He pulled the brim of his straw hat over his eyes and nodded.

"Thank you, Crystal, for saving me." He briefly rested his hand on top of my bowed head. "You just leave the rest to me. I promise, I'll show you why choosing my life was the right decision!"

Choosing... my captain?

"Luffy," I whispered.

Maybe he was on to something that I was blind to. Maybe I really was just a monster. Though I had the feeling that if I let things play out, this man could be the one to lead me to the answer.

"Thank you, Luffy."

* * *

 **Next up: Usopp!**

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading the second chapter! This was a fun one to right because I consider this chapter/arc to be Crystal's introduction where I got to focus mainly on her, her relationship with Zoro some more, and her growing trust in Luffy. The next ones will more focused on her developing relationships with the other characters as they join and leave the crew. Each chapter will follow the arcs so if you haven't seen all of OP and aren't in to spoilers, they should be easy to avoid (:**

 **A little disclaimer about me... At the publication of this chapter, I am on episode 518 (Sabaody pt 2/New World arc). I'm trying to stick to the original plot but if I say something 'off' about a character or their history or something, it's probably because I don't have the whole story yet haha! (It's something I worry about as new ideas come to my head). Also, if you write a review (please do!), I'll most likely end up PMing you so no spoilers please!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece**

 **(lol)**


	3. A Sticky Situation

Last line of defense my ass.

I sat on the edge Syrup Village listening to the sound of battle cries erupting from a far off shore. As per instructions ordered by Zoro, my master, _his majesty, the all knowing ruler_ , I was to act as the last line of defense should the Black Cat Pirates breakthrough. I, as well as everyone else, knew that was _not_ going to happen. Based on Luffy's showdown with the Buggy Pirates, I knew he could hold his own and more. Just one of his gattling barrages of rubbery fists would send those pirates fleeing with their tails between their legs. Of course, that would be if there were even any left after Zoro was done with them.

Usopp, Nami, and probably myself were negligent factors. Maybe Usopp could think of some slick strategy but I got the feeling that the sound of his knees knocking together would be too distracting for anyone to think straight. Nami randomly started following us around and telling us what to do after the run in with the Buggy Pirates. She's bigger and taller than me but she doesn't have any sign of lean muscles like I do so I doubt she has any reputable combat skills. Cross those two off the list.

I imagined myself at the front lines of the battle. You want to raid the village? Not today, suckers. With my double-edged sword in my hand(s), not a single pirate would make it past my steel wall of might. 100 legs couldn't match the speed of my swings; they'd fall prey to my blade before they could take a step past me.

Of course in reality, if I were to slice them down as I imagined, they would bleed. There would be blood splattered everywhere and it wouldn't just be mine. Blood smells gross and in my opinion, it's meant to stay inside the body so why would anyone want to spill it? Because that means they would be in pain - most likely even more pain then when Zoro hits me with the back of his blade. And that hurts like hell.

I changed my mind - last-line-of-defense sounds perfect for me.

I was just the choreboy (because no one says choregirl). Or I will be as soon as we get a decent ship that requires chores. That's the agreement Zoro and I came to with Luffy - I'd continue my training under Zoro and swab the decks or whatever because Zoro doesn't want me fighting for real. I guess Luffy didn't really care what I did but I felt it was only fair to earn my keep.

My heroic reverie-turned-nightmare was interrupted by a familiar presence quickly approaching from the shore. Moments after I detected him, Luffy came running down the path to the village.

"Run straight north, run straight north, run straight north," he panted as he came storming up to me.

"Crystal! Which way is north?" he shouted when he saw me at my post.

"Let's see here. The sun is rising to my left, facing away from the village, and it rises in the east (or is it west?). So if that way is east, north is straight through the village," I concluded.

Not soon enough because Luffy was already out of sight, running off in some incorrect direction.

The pieces started to come together in my mind - Luffy heading north; battle cries; their position at the south shore. I had been so engrossed in my day dreams that I didn't realize that sounds I had heard from beyond the village were not coming from the same direction where the crew was stationed. What the hell happened?

It happened, that's all that matters - that's what Zoro would tell me. In fact, he wouldn't even stick around to discuss it. So does that mean that I'm supposed follow his (hypothetical) example and rush to the north shore? Or not because I'm not even supposed to be fighting?

I cursed my indecision as I headed for the shore. In the end, I decided that it's not what I'm _supposed_ to be but it's what _has_ to be done that should guide my actions. Who knows how long it would take Luffy to find his way across the island? And I seriously doubted Zoro would ever make it there, even if Usopp was guiding him, much less on his own.

So I'll commit to the fight. For Usopp. For his friend Kya's life. For the peace of the villagers. I'll commit to spilling some blood...

...

My breakfast almost came up just thinking about it.

Knowing which direction to head made the trip from the village to the north shore a short one.

I arrived to find the worst scene imaginable: Nami and Usopp (both already down) vs the entire Black Cat force. And then there was me, alone on the front lines just as I had dreamed of.

 _Erase their faces from your mind._

That part was easy enough when the blindfold hid the details of their image. The hard part was pretending that they don't have a name, a story, that they don't bleed. I was supposed to reduce these humans to nothing more than the straw decoys used for training. Back at home, there were a line of them in front of the dojo where Zoro used to train. Some of them had vital target areas highlighted in bright red paint to clearly state where to strike.

My mind's eye imposed the ink on my new decoys showing me exactly where my blade should fall. I smelled it too. The smell of blood was strong where it coursed most thickly through their veins. The heat was like a magnet drawing my sharp sword across their fragile flesh.

The first one fell in one swift movement. It dropped to my feet like a lifeless doll and I could just imagine the blood spilling out of the injury I ripped through its stomach. But no - training equipment doesn't bleed.

Each subsequent target was assigned a number by my blade. I didn't have the strength or weapon range to tackle more than one at a time as they tried to rush passed me. So one by one, they lined up to fall victim to my relentless attack. The path was clearly laid out for me, starting with the one at point blank range to me left, followed closely by the smaller one that would veer right to cut off the closer larger one.

I saw the careful calculations of warfare running through their minds and guiding their movements. I knew because I was on the same, deadly wavelength as them; only my quick feet were one step ahead of them. There was a line that they were not permitted to cross - the imaginary marker drawn across the dirt road was concrete and easy for me to visualize. Just as they'd reach the line, I'd appear before them to end their march.

Halted bodies piled up on my line, overflowing and pushing the boundaries I had determined. One particularly agile target intercepted my quick work and I was locked in a stalemate. My two years of dedicated training pressed against his Captain's orders to push forward into the village. His will was unyielding and I felt like I was shoving against a boulder.

That was something else Zoro had me do on the daily - push boulders around empty fields and up steep (like 5 degree steep) inclines. It's physics - I push a mass and it pushes back. But if I prove stronger than the fucking rock then I can push it all over the village if Zoro orders so. If not, then he makes fun of me for being weaker than an inanimate object.

But this boulder felt like it was being backed by a brick wall. And if I didn't supply at the very least an equal and opposite force, then _I_ would be the one being pushed up and down hills all morning long. Or, in this case, I'd have my throat slit.

The weight of my blade grew heavier with each swing and each block. Its hefty, wide structure was ill-suited for my agile frame but we had come so far together that I'd never give it up for a smaller katana. Besides, nothing was heavier than the pressure to protect what's precious.

For me, it was my dear friends and, as Zoro's apprentice, his pride as a swordsman. For Usopp, it was protecting his village. So, by extension, that made it like my burden too. One that I was more than happy to bear. Thus, the lives of his friends weighed more on us than the black blade in my hands.

At least, that's what my resolve said. My body, on the other hand, was not so spirited and still, as always, constrained by human limitations.

Zoro was going to chew me out if I fell in battle; I had the chance to prove that I was good for more than just swabbing decks and catching fish; There were really dangerous weapons coming at me; I could die. There were so many reasons why I couldn't lose here but the only thing that had any authority in the matter was my strength. Which was about to give out.

There was that first time where I backed the stone into a corner. I couldn't pull it out or find a different angle to push it. Done, right? Not according to Zoro. He looked at my work with dissatisfaction.

"Like this," he instructed and cleanly sliced the mass into a pile of ruble.

I wish that I had taken a different approach to the exercise. It's not that I didn't put my heart into everything he told me to do.. I just didn't connect the actual practicality of the lessons. But I see now that the battle's not over until your enemies have fallen. Be it a rock or a pirate, the only way to victory is through a series of clean slices.

The sudden understanding elicited a rush of adrenaline through my system which allowed a temporary (at least perceived) influx of strength. Hell. Yes. I grasped the upperhand of the stalemate and threw him off balance. In his brief moment of recovery, I ducked for an unexpected low-sweep.

Look at me now, Moss Head, I'm not so much of a loser am I?

The defeat of the hulking pirate marked me as a viable threat and the remaining crew turned their attention from raiding the village to putting a halt on my brigade. Some had doubled back and approached from behind. Others encroached on the left and right. And of course, there were those who dared to charge in head first.

They surrounded me on all sides and a I was caught in a ring of blades and guns. I cursed myself for getting careless. Zoro would never allow this to happen so easily and he held me to the same damn standards. It would be super embarrassing if he found me this way.

In the major amount of chaos which I used to my advantage to slip out of the crowd so there was no one to my back. A guttural cry brought me the battle back to me with a grizzly fellow leading the charge with two hands on a flimsy sword. The rest followed like a dam bursting after a torrential downpour. I quickly found myself drowning in a sea of smelly pirates.

Could I overcome one of these full grown men before the next one came barring down on me? Was I fast enough to outrun a bullet? Would I survive with the odds against me?

Of course.

Because I made a promise to a very dear friend of mine that I'd be there to see the day when he became the world's greatest swordsman. And after that? We'd rule an empire of swordsmen, sitting high and proud on an untouchable throne of our raw strength. He is not the greatest swordsman yet so if I fall here, how am I supposed to support him? Easy, dying isn't an option for me.

But the weight of my blade grew heavier with each swing and each block. It's hefty, wide structure was ill-suited for my small figure and quick style but we had come so far together that I'd never give it up. Besides, nothing was heavier than the pressure to protect what's precious to you.

For me, it was my dear friends and, as Zoro's apprentice, his pride as a swordsman. For Usopp, it was protecting his village. So by extension, it was like my burden too. The lives of his friends weighed more on us than the black blade ever would in my hands.

At least, that's what my resolve said. My physical body, on the other hand, was not so spirited and still, as always, constrained by human limitations.

Zoro was going to chew me out if I fell in battle; I'd prove taht I was good for nothing but swabbing decks and catching fish; there were really dangerous weapons coming at me and I could die. There were so many reasons why I couldn't slip up but only one thing that had authority: my strength. Which was about to give out.

I didn't cry when the first blade nicked my shoulder. I didn't scream when the bullet lodged itself in my leg. I didn't run nor did I back down. Besides, why should I? I could lose all the blood in my body but it wouldn't change the fact that The Strawhat Pirates are eternal. As a team, we couldn't lose.

Even as the scythes slipped across my skin and the axes tore across my stomach, I smiled a blood-stained wide grin. I was there and I was fighting. I would never run like a true swordsman and Zoro would be so proud of me.

The blood drained from my body and ran sticky and thick down my arms and legs. As it left, it was replaced by a violent and animalistic urge to spill more blood. It was already starting to pool around me but I wouldn't done until there was more and more. It was like the blade was swinging itself and the rage masked the pain I might have felt.

A pair of fast approaching mega-presences broke over the hill. They had the familiar feel of Zoro and Luffy finally arriving on the battle scene. In moments, they were visible to everyone else. The remaining Black Cat Pirates flew overhead as they were hit by a brick wall of muscle.

"Wow Crystal, you really wreaked out here," Luffy exclaimed, examining the previous carnage.

Blood leaked from my wounds as I slowly turned around to claim my pride. I didn't care though; so much blood had already been spilled on the ground so what was a little more?

Zoro, do you see me? Look how much I've flourished under your guidance. Have I made you proud?

"Crystal, you idiot," he cried and lunged for me as the blood-stained ground rushed up to meet me.

* * *

Up Next: Sanji!  
A/N: Hello! It's been two years since I've updated this story but I have never forgotten it! Funny story, I actually had this chapter written two years ago on paper and was too lazy to type it up until now! LOL! Also, I read my A/N from the previous chapter and it was weird and wrought with typos so please ignore it.


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